Waters of Grace
by rebellion101
Summary: He wasn’t about to let her go. He couldn’t. Her eyes closed and then she felt peace something she hadn’t felt in a long time. One moment, one kiss, can change it all.
1. Preface

Warning: Beginning of story might be misleading.

Preface

He wasn't about to let her go. He couldn't.

She kissed his cheek and was about to turn away. He grabbed the back of her head and kissed her fiercely. Everything that happened in so little time spilled out in that moment as he tasted more of her than ever before.

Breaking apart they were both breathing heavily neither one wanting to leave, or back up one step. Taking a deep breath she looked up at him, at his dark green eyes and knew she had to do this. It wasn't her he needed it was never her. "Don't do this."

"Don't do what?" he asked, puzzled. "Love you," he added as an afterthought. He never once said those words out loud outside of family, of course. His heart was racing a million times a beat. He didn't think he could feel this way. He didn't know he could really mean those words this much, but he. He loved her with all his heart there was no doubt about that. _Was this what it was like when you found your mate?_

A tear sprang into her eye. She didn't want to leave him and after he said those three words that everyone wants to hear she didn't she could make her legs move. Her mouth opened so she could speak again but no words came out.

His mouth had covered over hers again. The second kiss a lot more gentle than before. There was no dying need to put more into it he already said the words this was only an add-on to how he felt. When they broke apart, he said barely above a whisper, "Don't leave me."

She rested her hand upon his cheek and looked into those dark, meaningful eyes. This was the hardest thing she had ever done. It wasn't a simple as she thought and she almost wished she never had met him. _Maybe I can make myself be his mate. Maybe I can manipulate…_

She closed her eyes tight. No, it wouldn't be fair for him if she did that. He belonged to another even if he didn't realize that yet. With one long intake of breath she let it all out and opened her eyes. "Goodbye." She saw the wounded look in his eyes and before he could stop her she dashed out of the room.

Leaving him alone, broken, and vulnerable. _It was her. It was her and she just left._ That was all that ran through his mind as he watched the door his love had fleeted out from.

_I'll find her._

---

It was strange. One moment she was blissfully happy the next she's in this terrible pain. A biting pain something was biting her. There was a grayish cloud fogging her thoughts, keeping her from piecing anything together as if her thoughts were a puzzle being shaken repeatedly in a box.

With all her mental strength she broke free and regretted it. She really felt the pain now before it was dull now it was red hot. Now she knew it was on her neck and something had sunk in there. She struggled and she felt a grasp around her wrists and a hand on the other side of her neck keeping her in place. She tried to kick but a leg had already moved there and weighed more than iron. She was in a literal choke hole.

If that wasn't scary enough she realized she was slowly losing her vision. She wasn't going to last long she knew that and until she was dead she would never know what was happening. She heard someone telling her to hang on but they sounded so distant. All the noises around her sounded so distant.

Even when the body and teeth that been holding her were gone she knew it wasn't soon enough. She collapsed onto the hard floor looking across from her and seeing nothing. Her eyes closed and then she felt peace something she hadn't felt in a long time.


	2. The Start

**A/N: This will be the shortest if not the shortest chapter in the story (hopefully). Besides it's been what a day since the last post.**

Chapter 1: The Start

"It was too close Derek, it was way too close," Chloe said barely above a whisper. Her hand immediately flew to her stomach protectively.

After every precaution that was taken she still almost lost her child, _their child_, for the _third_ time. Why was it so much harder to keep this one child alive before they were even born? They had to do something drastic to change this around.

Sighing Chloe looked down at the now noticeable bulge. A small smile appearing across her face as she gently moved her thumb back and forth. _"I know."_

Her head snapped up. She barely recognized his voice. It wasn't as deep as usual it held a softer tone now not that it was anything like a whisper but still there was an underlying vulnerability in it.

He was watching her through carefully guarded eyes. "I've been talking to Simon and…well we've come up with an idea." Chloe nodded, listening intently. "This is not enough for the kids just to know each other and we all need more protection and…we need to live together, all of us."

Chloe thought about it for a moment letting it sink in what was happening. "You mean _all_ of _us_ moving into a bigger home. How big are we talking about?"

"Big enough, we're going to build it." Derek took a seat next to Chloe at the kitchen table.

"But that will take a long time, Derek. Years," she said as one of his large hands wrapped around hers that was resting on the table.

He nodded, knowing exactly that. "If we're lucky and word hard enough we might get it done in a year. Until then we're going to have to be closer together. I've already called Andrew up again. He'll be down in a week or so. Other people will be coming down as well."

_Andrew._ Chloe vaguely remembered him and couldn't believe it had been so long. Last time she saw him she was still single and still in her teens. Now she was a married mother expecting her third child.

"What about your father?" Chloe asked, gently. Ever since Derek and Simon found their father they weren't exactly on good terms.

"He'll come later." And that was all Derek was going to say on that matter Chloe could tell.

She looked down at her stomach before asking the next question. "Is this just going to be for living space?"

"Well we were thinking of teaching the kids there, pulling them out of regular school. And maybe we can throw in work too, somehow." Derek shrugged.

"Teach," Chloe said narrowing her eyes. Her mind was going back to the days when she was at the Lyle House back when she was pulled out of _regular school_. She didn't like the sound of it.

"Not like the Lyle House. This is different, this _will be _different," Derek said knowing exactly where her mind was going. "For starters the kids are going to know who and what they are and where they came from. We are not going to let them be in the dark not even in the beginning. We'll teach them the basic courses such as science, math, ect., but we're also going to be teaching them about their powers and how to control them. This will be nothing like the Lyle House, I promise you that." He gingerly lifted Chloe's hand up and kissed it as if in a promise.

Chloe looked away feeling a blush coming over her even now. She hated and loved that he could still make her feel that way. "Okay," she breathed out. "But until this house is built we need to come up with another plan for defense." In the back of her mind she still had tiny doubts about whether or not this could or would work.

**A/N: Now you should start to see where this story is headed. Just an extra note some aspects of the story were inspired or influence by songs from Florence and the Machine and maybe later on I'll post which ones. Okay, review.**


	3. School Time

Chapter 2: School Time

_**(Press: Fast Forward**_

_**Set Date: August 19, 2029)**_

Summer was over. The fall semester was starting, tomorrow. Hailey Hudson knew this. She knew that she should hate the very idea of her last days of pure freedom vanishing for another long, work full school year.

Deep inside however she didn't feel like this, she couldn't. The whole summer was miserable for her but she didn't know why. She didn't understand the lost feeling inside her. All she knew was she couldn't wait to be back in school. To have the summer finally done with and to start right back to where she felt she belonged.

_Crazy. _That was how Hailey thought she sounded. If she told anybody about how she was feeling that was the exact response she expected to receive.

Examining herself one last time in the vanity mirror she slipped off the stool and walked without much conscious thought toward her bed.

Piles of letters were stacked high on her night stand. Letters of early acceptance for college and the mere thought made her stomach turn.

She had applied for colleges across the country during the summer with her sister Kaitlin. They would both be turning eighteen in September, a thought Hailey didn't like to dwell on. However, unlike Hailey, Kaitlin had enjoyed filling and receiving letters for she couldn't wait to leave for college. She didn't have to be persuaded by her parents over this topic.

Kaitlin had always been one to explore, to want to see more than what was currently offered to her. Hailey, at one point in time, had felt the same way. That time felt like eons ago to Hailey now.

She wasn't sure what had changed to make her so fearful of the mere thought of leaving. There wasn't a date she could pin-point for this drastic change. It was something that had gradually slipped in on her during sleep. But she would have to face the fact that this would be her last year and she would have to go college the following year. Wouldn't she?

Flopping on her bed she starred up at the ceiling. Only one thought raced through her mind, _What here is holding me back?_

---

_I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK!_

That was the only thought screaming through Kristen's mind as her alarm sounded. She quickly turned it off by pressing the snooze button even though she wanted to pound her fist hard on the evil contraption.

It was too soon, it was all too soon to get back into the exhausting routine. She for one didn't want to get into it, yet. Although truth was she never wanted to go back into the swing of things.

Weight shifted on her bed, but Kristen was already drifting off back to a dreamless sleep, so she didn't think much of the new weight. To her now it was only a strange observation.

Ice cold hands wrapped around her feet jolting her awake. A quick yelp escaped her throat as she pushed herself up on the bed and away from the unwelcoming wake up call.

Wyatt just sat there with a smile on his face watching his sister glare at him.

"What are you doing in here, Wy?" Kristen asked in a very unpleasant tone.

With a shrug Wyatt replied, "Dad wanted me and Jason to make sure you guys were up. It's the first day back to school and everything. Aren't you excited?" A wide smile spread across his boyish face.

Kristen shook her head at her brother. He was only six so of course school to him sounded exciting. What kind of work were they given any way, stay in the lines while coloring.

Another yelp rang through the house followed by a low growling sound, which meant that Weston was now up as well.

Taking a quick look at her brother Kristen asked, "Why are your hands so cold?" For they had been exceptionally cold to her.

"I stuck them in the freezer for a few minutes," Wyatt replied slyly. He hoped off the edge of her bed and walked over to her desk. With quick movements he grabbed her necklace, the one she always wore, and walked back over to her. "Here, you need to get going mom and dad say."

"Thank you, Wyatt," Kristen replied in a monotone of a voice. She tried to stop the urge of rolling her eyes. Slipping the necklace on Wyatt left her room in search of his next victim. Although Kristen knew he wouldn't find anyone else that needed to be awake not in this home. The only morning sleepers were Weston and her and those jobs were obviously done.

---

Chrystina was humming to herself right beside David as they walked across the long hallway. To David it was nonsense and annoying nonsense at that but he didn't say a word. It seemed that Chrystina was off in her own little world this morning.

After a few more moments of tuneless hums Chrystina broke the silence. "Why do we even have to go to school? What's the point in sitting in class learning most things you won't even remember in ten years?" Her eyebrows narrowed in thought.

David shrugged it was something he had asked himself from time to time. He still didn't have a crystal, logical answer to the question. Only the one they always hear that learning, whether they remember the information or not, will help them in the future. That was the only answer to the question they received and that bothered him.

"Maybe they just want to test to see how much we remember…or to see when we were paying attention." A sly smile spread across Chrystina's lips which she quickly subdued although David had already caught a glimpse of it. "Well, whatever the reason, it doesn't matter. Summer break is over and do you know what that means?" She looked over at her brother with a questioning look.

"Fall semester," David said off handling not paying that much attention.

She shook her head at him before starting to pick up pace. "No the party held by the local high school in Downcast is in two weeks from now and we all can go. Well, except for the twins but there too young to even care."

_Not to mention they go to an actual public school_, David added as an afterthought.

This was the first time David had seen his sister this excited about something and a party none the less. It's not that she hated going to parties but she was never this _pumped_ up. To David this only meant one thing that Chrystina was either hiding or planning something. And it wasn't that he didn't trust his sister—to an extent he did—but he needed to find out what was going on not just for her but for all their own goods.

They arrived at the door leading to the first classroom, History. David already had his hand on the doorknob. Only five more minutes until class starts.

**A/N: Review**


	4. First Day Surprise

Chapter 3: First Day Surprise

Abigail was racing down the halls. She had miscalculated how much time she had before class and now if she didn't hurry she would be late. And one thing Abigail Victoria Hudson hated the most was being late to anything, even if that anything happened to be a class. A class that they would be doing nothing more than getting reintroduced to school. The first days were always the most boring.

Taking a quick turn, her sneakers squeaking under her feet, she almost barreled into something. _No, not something, someone,_ Abby realized.

The arms that had caught her had steadied her and quickly detached themselves. She stared up—her neck stretching far back—to the face she had grown up seeing over the years, the face of her closest friend, Zach.

Automatically her lips parted into a smile while Zach's followed. "What's the big hurry, Abs? Miss the bus?" he joked and she wanted to laugh but couldn't.

Her smile faltered a little as she realized that Zach was just standing here when he should be in class or getting to class. Why was he out here?

"Getting to class," she stated simply and slowly. Inside, her mind was screaming at her to start running again otherwise she'd never make it on time but she stayed her ground. "Which is where you should be as well." Her eyebrow rose accusingly.

Zach shrugged nonchalant. "Thought I'd ditch. It's not like I'm going to miss that much anyway. It's the first day back after all."

Abigail's jaw slacked right then. Ditching school…it seemed like an awful crime to her. She could never pull herself to do that especially when school and home were in the same building and everyone in the building knew where you were _supposed_ to be. She had a sudden sense of aw for Zach in attempting to pull this off but it quickly faded.

"You can't ditch, Zach! It's not…it's not right," she said flabbergasted.

Zach just shook his head grinning down at her. "I'm not leaving the country, the state, or even the building for that matter. I'm just not going to the first day of classes. It's really not that big of a deal." Two sharp canine teeth flashed in and out of a view as Zach's grin had grown larger. He stepped around Abigail heading the way she had been coming from. "See you after school Abby. And…" He paused in thought. "Mind taking notes for me." He left not being serious about the last part at all.

Abigail just stared after him completely unsure of what to do until a voice came from behind her. "Shouldn't you be going to class Abby?" She jumped at the sound of Mason's voice. Turning quickly around she saw him giving her a look.

_Great Zach doesn't get caught and he's the one whose actually ditching. Just my luck._ "Yes, I'm heading there right now, Mr. Myers." With that said she once again started racing down the halls towards her class. She made it with only one second to spare which was good enough for her and was greeted with a surprise.

---

Abigail had just arrived which left only Zach not in attendance. The bell rang signifying the start of class. No one seemed to notice the sound. Everybody was too occupied on gawking at the new girl in the classroom, the one who looked as if she had stepped straight out of a magazine cover one that Nichole always seemed to be reading.

Her hair was platinum blonde, long and glossed back, reaching all the way to her mid-back. Her make-up was light but still greatly sharpened her facial features, making her cheekbones and gray eyes stand out the most. She was 5`4 to 5`5 in height. She was standing directly in front of the classroom. For many people this would make them nervous, even terrified, as all these strange eyes starred down at them in not the gentlest manner. But not this girl, this one was different. She held her head up high and starred at everyone straight back, one at a time. This girl held her ground.

And maybe that, besides her looks, held Weston's attention so thoroughly. The group was used to seeing new people come through the building although they were usually here temporarily for work. Each time someone new came the rest of the group, everyone except Weston, would gawk at the new person wondering who they were and why they were here. Weston had never once done that until now, until this girl came.

_Girl._ This was different, very different, from the times before. They were all adults, the newcomers, and not one had ever stepped foot in the classroom never mind taking one step on the staircase leading away from the first floor. No, this was no adult for work here this was a girl around seventeen who stood here for a much different purpose.

Weston completely froze, breath and all, when the girls eyes fell on him. He couldn't breathe and his heart started to race. _Those eyes, so hypnotizing._

He felt himself drawn to her and didn't understand why. He wanted to stand to walk across the classroom to…to do what? He wasn't even sure all he knew was he wanted to be close to her. He wanted to know her name, he wanted to know everything.

She smiled if you even called it that. The corners of her lips curved upward but only slightly. Slightly enough that Weston was pretty sure he was the only one who had noticed.

Andrew stood up and took a stand beside the girl as she broke her eye contact with Weston.

"Where is Mr. Souza?" Andrew asked looking around the classroom. "Where is Zachary Souza?"

Abigail slowly started sinking down in her seat, Weston noticed. It wasn't a major shock that she knew where his brother was and he didn't. It wasn't that he was distant from his brother, although over the past year it seemed their relationship was starting to become strained, but still he talked with and cared about his brother. Yet Abigail and Zachary were the youngest in their group (the twin boys didn't count as part of the group). With that in common they had bonded over it and had become fairly close. If anyone knew where Zach was it would be Abigail. Only when she was one who didn't know would be the time to worry.

Andrew also noticed Abigail sinking in her seat as his gaze fell upon her. He didn't say anything about it though instead he said, "I guess Zachary will not be joining us for today. Very well." He turned around and gestured to the girl beside him. "Class this is Arianna Grays she will be joining your class for the rest of the year."

"WHAT!?" A shout of shock filled the room, everyone turned to see a gaping Chrystina. "Since when did this happen? Since when did we except students here who weren't in our group?"

_Leave it to Chrystina to ask the question that is everyone's mind_, Weston thought. He couldn't help but be relieved. He didn't want to be the one to ask the question but he didn't want it to be unasked either.

He watched the girl named Arianna closely. Having been so awestruck to her before had started to fade and was now being taken over by suspicions. He still felt a strong pull towards her but he ignored it and focused on her face. To watch her breathing, her eyes to see if she made any strange movements. Anything that would hint at trouble. Hmmm…she had full lips…

_I did not just think that._

Weston panicked but kept his gaze steady refusing to let his eyes go wide at the thought. _Concentrate on her eyes, on her breathing. That is how you can tell if she lies._

"Well, Miss. Bae, you could have been gentler with your words and tone. Now, I know that all of you must be confused on this new arrangement, but you see Arianna's parents will be working here for at least the next year. Instead of a public school education nearby she will be studying her with you." He paused for a second. "Being taught what public school cannot teach."

That was when Weston knew, when the whole class knew, she was one of them. She was born with powers. Now the next step was to find out what they were.

Arianna's smile grew and her eyes brightened. She had felt the change in atmosphere. It was almost welcoming now, not nearly as suspicious. She took in a breath, held a steady gaze on the class, and stated cautiously, "I can control minds and feelings." The atmosphere took a drastic change.

While the words set everyone off on edge, it was the voice behind the words that put Weston on alert. There was something very different about her voice. It was almost entrancing.

---

Zachary Ryan Souza walked down the vacant hallway. He knew anyone in the building could suddenly appear before him and that he would be caught. Five minutes had passed since class had started where he should be. Yet, Zach couldn't find it in himself to care.

He didn't seem to care about a lot of things anymore mainly things that revolved around being here in this building, his home.

It had bothered him originally these feelings. It didn't seem right and he was afraid they meant something else, something drastic. Now he was getting used to them and they didn't seem to be such a bother. Not since the feeling of wanting to explore, of wanting adventure came.

Still he felt tied to the building. There was something, maybe more than one, that kept him grounded that kept him wanting to stay. He wondered if that would ever go away and for some reason he doubted it would.

Reaching the end of the hallway he looked out one of the large windows. He stared at one of the oak trees and watched the leaves seeing how they were turning colors. Fall.

He laid a hand on the glass feeling the cold. Then he stared at his hand that now seemed alien to him. _Had it grown?_

It seemed twice as large from what he remembered, but…but that wasn't possible. Hands can't grow like that. No that was wrong, normal hands can't grow like that.

He pulled away and studied his hand long and hard. It seemed rougher as well but then he had done a lot of manual labor over the summer, a perfectly normal excuse. Only it didn't explain the growth, but then maybe he was imagining it.

Zach shook his head and stuffed his hand in the pocket of his jacket. _I want air_, he thought. He wanted out of the building, not for long though not yet.

Footsteps sounded on a staircase behind him and Zach realized in an instant that if he didn't find a place to hide soon, he would be caught.

**A/N: You should know by now that this story revolves around the gang's future children. They haven't all been mentioned by name yet but I think next chapter they will be. And random note, well maybe not so random, today February 28****th**** is my birthday.**


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